Monrovia's ex-city manager pays off loan to city

MONROVIA - Former Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa has now paid off the approximately $275,000 he owed the city for the second mortgage to his Monrovia house, city officials said.

The City Council last month could not agree on whether to allow Ochoa to restructure a loan for his home on Madeline Drive and no action was taken. Back in 2004, the Council lent Ochoa $275,000 with 5 percent annual interest as a second mortgage to help him relocate to Monrovia - as council members desired - and purchase the $775,000 home.

Ochoa paid the balance of the note, which was about $274,000, and roughly $1,000 that he owed in interest about two weeks ago in a lump sum, Administrative Services Director Mark Alvarado said.

Ochoa was required to pay the loan back within 12 months of his departure from the city, which would have been in late December.

"He paid off the $275,000 before his end of December deadline," Alvarado said. "Everything worked out for both sides. He got his financing done. The city got paid off sooner than expected. I think it's all good."

Councilman Tom Adams, who voted against modifying Ochoa's loan last month, said Ochoa sold his Monrovia house on July 19. Adams said he was pleased at the final outcome.

"There was no need to amend the terms of the original agreement," Adams said.

Ochoa, who became Glendale's new city manager in January, had recently asked the Monrovia council to modify that loan so that he could sell the Monrovia property and move to Glendale sooner.

He did not ask the city to forgive any part of the loan nor to extend the December due date for having the note fully paid.